Open thread: Obama’s Cairo II speech

posted at 10:32 am on May 19, 2011 by Ed Morrissey

At 11:40 today, Barack Obama will give what some are calling the Cairo II speech, a follow-up address on the Middle East and the US backing for popular, representative government in the region. His Cairo I speech was generally considered a success, although ultimately forgettable, mainly because Obama himself failed its first test in Tehran within days of its delivery — and that after the White House specifically tied the Green Revolution uprising (that it refused to support for months) to the speech. Now Obama will once again address the issue of freedom, liberty, and peace in a speech, this time perhaps aimed more for American voters than Middle Eastern audiences, but will he live up to his own rhetoric, or again ignore freedom-loving Iranians (and Syrians)?

How far on Syria will Obama go? — I suspect he’ll only go as far as the sanctions announced yesterday, which Andrew Malcolm helpfully reminds us were preceded by weeks of warning to get funds out of the US. If he calls for Assad’s resignation, he’ll end up looking impotent, as he has no real means to affect it, but without it, he will leave Syrian dissidents wondering why Hosni Mubarak had to go but not Bashar Assad. Politico’s Josh Gerstein thinks Obama will try to split the difference: “Obama’s formulation could hint at Assad’s exit, while stopping just short of demanding his ouster.”

How much will he say on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how specific will he be? – He’ll probably want to say plenty, but will restrain himself. Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to the US for an important summit, and the union of Fatah and Hamas has more or less scuttled Obama’s plans to get Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas on the same page. Obama is facing pressure in the region to start pressuring both sides for movement, but Fatah’s alignment with Hamas has all but scotched any chance of an agreement.

Will Obama Unveil a Marshall Plan for the Arab world? - Oh, I’m sure Obama will highlight new aid proposals, but no one has the money for a Marshall Plan any longer. I read a rather cogent dismissal of the concept yesterday, but I’ll be darned if I can remember where. The reason the Marshall Plan worked in Europe after World War II is because Europe was already industrialized; they just needed recapitalization. We’ve been doing Marshall Plans in Africa and now Afghanistan for decades to no avail.

Will Obama lay out a uniform doctrine, or improvise? - Wasn’t this the White House that snorted derisively at the concept of “doctrines” during the Arab Spring? Consistency would be nice, but this administration has spent the last several months playing it by ear. Without a significant change in personnel, I doubt they’ll produce a “doctrine” today — but that then opens Obama to criticism of failing to deliver on expectations with major policy speeches, a failure which has become a habit.

What’s next? – More speeches? This could be another expectations problem for Obama. In the wake of his Cairo speech, what was next was an utter failure to support popular, democratic demands for reform in Iran. Don’t be surprised if the same thing is “next” after Cairo II, in Iran and in Syria.

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Obama will fail here too. He is not a true believer in American exceptionalism and therefore when he tries to convince us he is, while still being a citizen of the world, it will be exposed as lip service and political theater.

It’ll be a lot of talking without much said leaving everyone to glean from it their own meaning. It will involve lots of soaring rhetoric, lofy pie-in-the-sky goals that have zero chance of ever coming true with the end result of any so-called “policies” announced being 40 years of mess clean-up by subsequent administrations. Oh and lots of spreading around of my taxes to dictators and despots that will eventually be used against us or our forces in the future.

Now Obama will once again address the issue of freedom, liberty, and peace in a speech, this time perhaps aimed more for American voters than Middle Eastern audiences, but will he live up to his own rhetoric, or again ignore freedom-loving Iranians (and Syrians)?

He’s ignoring our freedoms and liberties by imposing ever more regulations. He’s way overstepped his bounds as President, and ignores the will of the people, as if he were the dictator.

So of course he’ll be more concerned with those freedoms and liberties abroad. Especially because they are, his muslim brothers.

More politics for this shameless liberal nitwit, and nothing more. He ran an insane socialist agenda for almost two years, and then retreated, knowing that he needs to get re-elected to do the real socialist damage.

Hopefully GOP will have the clarity of message required to explain this to the idiot independents in 2012 — re-elect Obama and you will get a level of leftism from the White House that you will not believe during Carter’s third term.

Let’s do a quick prediction: “Syria, you rock…but you’ve been naughty lately. Israel, you suck. Egypt, now that you’re more radical we like you a lot more! Here’s $2 Billion for arms. Oh, and Palestine…time for you to have your own state. Take that land that Israel is using.”

..in light of hir ONE accomplishment in these past two-and-a-half sorry years

What’s it say for a President when his greatest accomplishment is that one time he stayed out of the way and didn’t interfere with competent people getting the job done. This is like giving him credit for getting out of bed in the morning.

When in the name of Allah, is someone in our government going to stand up and say, “Ya know what! Screw this whole Palestinian Peace Process. Beyond keeping a whole cadre of diplomats employed, no one even knows what it’s all about anymore and no one really even cares. So we’re done with this c**p!!! Israel, Palestine, call us when you work out your differences, but until then, the checkbook’s closed.”

And why is he making this speech now? (rhetorical alert) He’s a little late. Arab uprisings have been occurring periodically since last summer. We all remember Neda… In his egomaniac mind, he must think this speech is the one that will heal all things.

Obama will probably include a hardy welcome home to the ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya who has been in the Dominican Republic for the last 2 years. The rate we see our liberties and freedoms eroding it won’t be long before we are on a par with the Middle East so he has that going for him.

Let’s do a quick prediction: “Syria, you rock…but you’ve been naughty lately. Israel, you suck. Egypt, now that you’re more radical we like you a lot more! Here’s $2 Billion for arms. Oh, and Palestine…time for you to have your own state. Take that land that Israel is using.”

Obama will fail here too. He is not a true believer in American exceptionalism and therefore when he tries to convince us he is, while still being a citizen of the world, it will be exposed as lip service and political theater.

csdeven on May 19, 2011 at 10:37 AM

Yea, when Obama tries to show us that he believes America/Americans care about courage, commitment or character, he just shows the world what a poser he truly is….it’s embarassing.

“I sent an email to President Obama saying, ‘You are a f(expletive) traitor,’ using those words… ‘You’re a traitor, you allowed foreign boots on our soil telling our military — in this case the coastguard — what they can and could not do, and telling us, the citizens of the United States, what we could or could not do’.”

Let’s do a quick prediction: “Syria, you rock…but you’ve been naughty lately. Israel, you suck. Egypt, now that you’re more radical we like you a lot more! Here’s $2 Billion for arms. Oh, and Palestine…time for you to have your own state. Take that land that Israel is using.”

Media fawns at the great orator.

search4truth on May 19, 2011 at 10:46 AM

Thanks, now I don’t have to listen to the actual speech.

As for the media fawning, heck, O’bama could take a dump on the Oval Office floor and they would praise him for that as well.

“I sent an email to President Obama saying, ‘You are a f(expletive) traitor,’ using those words… ‘You’re a traitor, you allowed foreign boots on our soil telling our military — in this case the coastguard — what they can and could not do, and telling us, the citizens of the United States, what we could or could not do’.”

Del Dolemonte on May 19, 2011 at 10:56 AM

Yeah…. usually Øbama does that himself, telling the citizens of the United States, what we could or could not do.

Obama’s mideast policy in a word….sucks.
Giving them aid by sending billions of tax payer money their way, giving Al Qeada the oil fields of Libya, praising the Muslim culture that murders and rapes its children and tortures it’s neighbors. Oh and isolate and insult Israel for daring to defend itself against acts of war from Palestine.

Obama’s “peace at all cost” narrative is costing lives, his ROE is costing lives, and his indecisiveness is costing lives.
Being a mother of 2 army soldiers, I can’t even begin to tell you how much that scares the heck out of me.

I’m in no mood to watch Prez Obie stroke the Muslim world while giving the people in his own country the back of his hand. Is it true he wants to send Egypt millions? Or is it billions? Or kazillions perhaps?

Interesting. I see the connection now. This morning a report was on, saying Viagra can cause deafness. Perhaps that is Madcows problem. It’s not that she won’t hear the truth…it’s that she can’t? ROFL!!!

Now where was I. Oh, yeah, time for the apology. I’d like to apologize for my evil predecessor and also for all the ugly Americans. Really, ugly and obese, if you must know. You’ve seen Michelle. I jest, I jest! She’s not obese.

Okay, back to my countrymen, if you can call them that. Bunch of gun-totin’, Bible thumpin’ rednecks is what they are, if you must know. But there are a few of us Americans who aren’t like that. We eat our arugula, we keep our tires inflated, we keep our pants creased, we … hey! The teleprompter says I’m supposed to bow now. What’s up with that? Haven’t I bowed enough for you guys? Oh, well, what’s it gonna hurt me.

Okay, back to my speech. I heard a good one the other day. Didja hear about the Jews who are trying cede to the Jordan River to the Palestinians? I guess they put alligators in it. Swear to God, it’s true. [Hand to earpiece.] God, Allah, whatever.

Carlos is wrong. I think Obama will be remembered in the same sense that Jimmy Carter is today and James Buchanan is to people looking back at the pre-Civil War years… as an embarrassment who will, hopefully, precede a truly great president like Buchanan did with Lincoln and Carter did with Reagan.

This come a day before Bibi is to meet with bho tomorrow. Wonder what bho will say that will tick Bibi off? Frankly, I don’t know why Bibi even bothers to meet with bho. bho has no intentions of helping Israel. God be with you Israel.
L

Yeah right. Has this president EVER been on time to a speech? That’s yet another thing I miss about GWB. He actually respected schedules. Being late is a classic sign of arrogance and a lack of respect.

bho still hasn’t shown up to grace us with his face! He is waiting for Rush’s show to come on to start talking as he has done so many times. I never watch or listen this him, his voice and face make me nauseous!
L